The Real Reasons
by bonesmad
Summary: Grace Florrick had been left on the outside of a lot of things over the past few years, and now she was going to get her teeth sunk into something. Something only she could help with.
1. Chapter 1

She looked around the room unable to focus on anything. There was people everywhere and she didn't know what to do in her own home. She grabbed and apple and walked out of the kitchen, avoiding the files all over the counter and dodging the two lawyers shouting at each other over the sink. She rolled her eyes and walked through the even busier living room. She leaned against the door frame and just watched them all bustling around the place. It was like watching a hive of bees milling around each other. She laughed lightly, now imagining them all carrying honey pots around.

"What wha wet.. when?" she heard her mother stuttering. She didn't like eavesdropping but it just tended to happen around here lately.

"I'm reading your body language here and you're in like warrior princess mode." That was definitely her uncle's voice. There was a crash from the kitchen and she saw reams of paper fall to the floor. She sighed and turned her attention back to her mother's conversation.

"i also know why you left and it has nothing to do with starting your own firm." Her uncle was still talking and her ears twitched.

"Oh Owen can we not do this now" that was her mother's defensive voice. The one she used when she didn't want to tell them something.

"What? You were afraid of getting close to Will!" Grace's heart stopped for a split second, that couldn't be true.

"Do you want something to eat?" her mother interrupted almost immediately. Her voice raised in pitch. Grace turned and went to walk into them, interrupt this conversation.

"Will you admit it!" her uncle pleaded and she froze again. "You were afraid of leaving your marriage for Will and..." she took a deep breath and walked into the room "Oh hey grace..." she took in his shocked face.

"Hey what's up." She said calmly trying to slow her heartbeat.

The rest of the conversation was a blur. She was just thinking again and again about what her uncle had said. What her mother hadn't denied. When she finally got to her room she closed the door and collapsed down onto the floor, finally letting it hit her. Her mother was in love with someone else. Her mother wanted to be with someone that wasn't her father.

She waited to feel upset. Waited for something to hit her almost. Crush her. But it didn't come. She realised she was more upset for her mother than for her parents relationship. Her mother was hurting, she'd changed her whole life again to escape her feelings. At that second she just knew it was because of them. She knew her mother was holding herself back because of them and that broke her heart.

Now she couldn't relax in her living room, kitchen or, because of this webcam thing, her own bedroom. She sat in the bathroom that joined her and her brother's room and sighed. Today had been crazy. All she could think about all day was her mother and what she'd heard. She slid into her room and grabbed a post it from her desk. Moving quickly she stuck it over the webcam and sat at her desk, she turned on her music and finally relaxed. Zach may have sorted out the ratting but she still didn't feel comfortable. Now that no one could possibly watch her she was starting to relax. Clicking into the internet she waited the brief few seconds it took for the Chumhum screen to appear. She faltered before she typed in her search, was this wrong? She knew her mother valued trust in their family, however little there seemed to be now a days. Was she betraying her mother's trust? Her wave of consciousness passed just as quickly as it arrived and she started typing.

_Will Garner _

She frowned as dozens of facebook profiles came up, none of which matched her mother's old boss.

"Oh no!" she shook her head an back tracked.

_Will Gardner_

This time the search was a lot more profitable.

_Did you mean disbarred lawyer Will Gardner_

She skipped the correction and read down through the links that followed it. The first few were just links to the law firm. A few news articles about the mass exodus of associates in the last few days. The next link caught her eye.

_Number 16 moves up_

She followed the link and tapped her fingers on the keys as the webpage loaded. A large picture loaded showing her mother's old boss sitting on a couch laughing. She'd only met him twice but her mother had told them loads about him. She scrolled down past the picture and started reading the article which came from an online magazine.

_Last year we published the list announcing Will Gardner was the sixteenth most eligible bachelor in Chicago. This year we revealed that he had moved up the list to the tenth position, an extremely large jump in a year. Our reporter Lucy Mae sat down with the man himself to see what he thinks of this accolade._

_L.M.: Well Mr Gardner, thank you for coming in to see us! _

_W.G.: Thank you for having me. _

_L.M.: So tenth most eligible bachelor in Chicago! How does that feel?"_

_W.G.: I won't lie, at first I was flattered, but then after a while I was very confused! Have you seen the other men on that list! What am I doing on there. _

_L.M.: Don't sell yourself short! Top ten in the district, that's not something to be sniffed at._

_W.G.: I'll take it as a compliment anyway! _

She smiled and continued reading. He was funny and came across very well.

_L.M.: So Will it's time for that question. You're a successful man, smart, handsome_

_W.G.: Oh stop._

_L.M.: How have you never even been nearly married? I mean have you really never almost popped the question?_

_W.G.: I... no. I never have. That's the truth. I've..._

_L.M.: Please go on. You obviously want to say something._

_W.G.: I am a true believer in love being the driving force in a marriage, and I can say I've never been in a relationship that was worthy. Don't get me wrong I have had some great relationships with women I am proud to consider my friends. _

_L.M.: So are you saying you've never been in love._

_W.G.: No. That is definitely not what I was saying. _

_L.M.: Oh you can't stop there! You have to tell us more. _

_W.G.: No I don't think so. It was a long time ago._

_L.M.: What did she ruin all other women for you?_

_W.G.: well... (he paused) I guess she did. I've never really spoken about this before, but yes she did. She was amazing, one of my best friends._

_L.M. So you could have been snapped up long ago. _

_W.G.: No, I was too afraid to tell her how I felt. She's still in my life though, we're great friends._

_L..M.: Any chance of a romance now then? Will you be taken off the list next year?_

_W.G.: No, that chapter of my life is closed now. I thought maybe there was a chance whe... no that's over. She's married. _

Grace sat back in her chair and heaved a sigh. If that wasn't referring to her mother she didn't know anything. He loved her too and she had to do something. She loved her mother more than anything in the world, even more than their family as a unit. She had to make her happy. She had to let her be happy.


	2. Chapter 2

She tapped her foot and had another look around. The place was buzzing with activity. People moving from room to room with files and phones. It was just like her home was right now just with more room. She'd never thought it would be this easy to get in. She'd had a midterm this morning and had rushed right over. Sitting in this office was slightly daunting and she knew if her mother found out she would definitely have something to say about it.

"Gracie?" she looked up to see a tall blonde woman looking down at her.

"Yes hello!" she said standing up.

"Hi I'm Nora! Lovely to meet you." she shook her hand.

"You too."

"Now Mr Gardner is running a little late he got held up in court. But he is really looking forward to talking to you." Nora smiled and gestured to a seat beside a small desk. Grace sat and smiled up at the older woman.

"That's ok. Actually maybe I could talk to you for a few minutes."

"Yes of course! I don't know how I can help you." she sat opposite her. "You're writing your report on young lawyers right?"

"Yes, Wi... Mr Gardner seems to have shot up the ladder at an incredible rate." She nodded

"Well there is a few other in the city about the same age that are names partners, but I think he has been a named partner much longer than any of them yes."

"I was wondering is he all work, does someone have to be completely career driven to get to where he has?" she smiled sitting to attention and pulling out a notebook. Might as well look the part. Nora laughed and shook her head,

"No not Mr Gardner! He's got something on every night of the week! Usually a different girl every night." Grace's eyes widened slightly at the comment. "Well that used to be the case. Now he is very work orientated." She said thoughtfully.

"Oh?"

"Yes you probably heard, we had a bit of a stir a few weeks ago, most of our fourth year associates left and started their own firm! It was quite the upset." Grace tried her hardest to suppress a smirk. This was more fun than it was meant to be.

"And that made him focus more on work?"

"Oh yes, very much so. He had started looking into offices in New York and everything." Grace felt like she was a spy now, she had to direct the conversation back where she wanted it. "But between you and me..." Nora leaned in closer. It looked like she wouldn't need to push too much. "... the change wasn't because they all left, it was because of one of them. I think he had a thing for one of the equity partners and when she left she broke his heart."

"Sounds interesting." She raised an eyebrow.

"Oh I don't like to gossip. But I definitely interrupted a few... intimate moments! You see she was married so..." she shrugged pointedly.

"and you think this is what drove him more into work?"

"Well you would too if you'd seen what happened when he found out she was leaving. He nearly tore her office apart! Threw everything off her desk and yelled at her. I mean you don't get that emotional about a partner leaving. He was in love with her." She whispered. Grace leaned in.

"And he's not anymore?"

"Oh no I think he's fallen even more in love with her! He has an extra fire now, like he's trying to prove himself." Her phone buzzed and she picked it up.

"Lockhart Gardner." She said cheerily. "Yes, yes of course. See you later." She hung up and smiled back at Grace. "That was Will I'm really sorry but he's gotten held up in court..." _I know, with my mother. _She thought smirking.

"That's ok I can reschedule." She said standing up and tucking away her notebook

"I'm very sorry, but do ring again and I'll slot you in." She stuck out her hand and Grace took it gladly. She made her way to the elevator quickly keeping her head down just in case anyone spotted her. The elevator door opened and her heart froze as she heard Diane's voice coming out of the elevator, they'd only met during the trail about the ballot box but she knew she'd probably recognise her. She lowered her head even more letting her hair fall down around her face she pulled out her phone and pretended to text as an excuse not to look up and slipped into the elevator past the older woman.

It was only when the doors closed and the elevator started moving that she looked up, a smile spread across her face as she let the adrenalin course through her. She was mildly shocked to find out she loved it.

She sat on her bed looking down at the notebook in her hands. Phase one of the plan had gone even better than she'd expected. She gotten proper confirmation that this man, this person who she'd blamed for so much was in just as much pain as her mother. Taking both their personalities into account though this was going to be a lot harder than she originally thought.


	3. Chapter 3

"Zach, can I come in?" she said knocking softly on his door. They hadn't really talked properly since the webcam thing.

"Yeah." She opened the door and he looked up from his books.

"you alright?" he asked sitting up and making room for her to sit down. She shrugged curling up on the end of his bed. "Things are still a little crazy out there right."

"Yes. It'll be weird when they finally get office space."

"Where were you yesterday? I thought I was driving you home."

"Oh I finished early so i got the bus."

"So what's up?" He studied his sister.

"Do you want Mom and Dad to get back together?" she just said it straight out. He was stunned.

"I..." he frowned and put his books down altogether. "No."

"why?"

"I want them to be happy." He shrugged. "Do you want them back together?"

"No" she shook her head. He raised an eyebrow.

"Even though divorce is a sin?"

"Yes. I've thought about it and well they tried. We can't say they didn't." He just looked at her. "I think maybe it's time we all moved on." She knew she'd shocked her brother. But they needed to get these things out in the open.

"What brought this on?" he asked, still not getting anything from her expression.

"I dunno I was just thinking. Wanted to see what you were thinking."

"I think they need to give up trying to make it work." He shrugged.

"So you wouldn't be mad it they started seeing other people?"

"what have you heard?" he bolted upright.

"No no nothing!" she shook her head waving her hands in front of her. "it was just something I was thinking about and we haven't really discussed… it in a while."

"Since Kalinda you mean." She bit the inside of her lip.

"Yes." She avoided his gaze. "That."

"I think that was the final straw for mom" he said more hushed. "But she did do the same"

"That's not fair."

"Grace we're being honest here. You and I both know something happened with Will."

"You're really mad at her for that"

"I'm more surprised you're not."

"I think dad betrayed her too badly. She fell out of love with him completely." She suddenly found her watch very interesting.

"And that makes it ok?"

"I don't think anyone knows the answer to that."

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

When her mother and father had started sharing a room again they had turned the maids room back into storage. Now that Peter was gone there was even more storage in there. Stuff waiting for him to collect. She had helped with the moving and knew exactly where she needed to look. Pushing aside a rail of clothes and dodging a falling rug she finally reached what she wanted.

_Georgetown_

She pulled out the box and settled in on the floor with it. The box was taped shut, but that was clearly a recent addition as she could see the old tape sticking out here and there underneath it. Someone else had been in this box recently. She pulled the tape back quietly and listened out to see if anyone was coming she was alone in the apartment for the first time in weeks and she was taking full advantage. Opening up the box she sighed. Of course the first thing she'd come across would be books. That was so like her mother. Lifting them out she made a pile beside her, fully expecting to add more to it soon. Essays came next, top grades across the top of them all. Another eye roll as they joined the pile. Next there was an old t-shirt. Way too big to belong to her mother. It was grey with Georgetown written across it in faded writing. It was ratty and well worn, it even had a large ink stain along the bottom, she couldn't understand why her mother would keep it. Next was a college flag and some leaflets. Her mother really kept everything didn't she. Next came what she was looking for. A brown envelope full to the brim of pictures. Pictures she guessed her mother didn't quite what her almost college age children to see. She stretched her legs and then emptied the contents onto her lap. There was a huge mismatch of sizes and shapes in pictures, some had been cut out, a few had tape still stuck to them and only one or two had writing on the back. She picked up a few and started flicking through, her mother was like a different person in the pictures. There wasn't one where she wasn't beaming from ear to ear. She hadn't seen her mother that happy in a long time. She started recognising a few faces that showed up over and over again but it was all women until she hit a big group one. There was about twenty of them, very near to Zach's age gathered with envelopes in their hands. She turned it over to see her mothers neat writing.

_First Exam Results_

It took her a second to find her mother, up the back beaming again, and then she spotted him. Will was standing in the front row, arm around a blonde with a grin on his face. They weren't even near each other.

The next few pictures were groups too smaller and smaller groups. And a lot more drunken pictures it seemed. She couldn't help but laugh at a few here and there loving seeing her mother so relaxed. Then came one of the bigger ones, it was black and white and it was pretty stunning. It was just her mother sitting in a large Victorian window with sun streaming in, a book on her lap and a pen in her hand. She was turning smiling at the camera her hair falling down over her face. She'd never seen her mother look so naturally stunning. She turned the picture over and her heart lept as she saw the familiar handwriting.

_Gardner doing anything not to study!_

It was like a floodgate opened after that, every second picture had the two of them in it. Usually with others but aways standing together. Always hugging or touching in some was almost like the pictures were in chronological order. The journey of their friendship. Everything she seemed to find just made her more and more aware of what her mother had missed out on. What she was denying herself.


	4. Chapter 4

Her heart was pounding, she couldn't calm herself down. She took a deep breath and looked around the corner again. Her head was starting to feel dizzy and she could feel her hands shaking. This was so strange for her. She had gotten way too used to sitting in the backseat and waiting for others to tell her what was happening. Now it was her turn. She turned quickly and checked again. This was it, it was go time. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, pulling out her phone she rounded the corner and stared at the screen. Before she knew it she collided with something hard and hit the ground.

"Oh my god." She heard as she realised her leg was wet. "I am so sorry." She looked up and found herself face to face with Will Gardner. It had worked perfectly.

"No I was texting I wasn't looking where I was going." She shook her own head and tried to stand up. "Oooh." She groaned and she pretended to put weight on her ankle.

"Oh no is it twisted."

"just a twinge I should be ok." She looked back up at him. "Oh..." he recognised her in that split second.

"Grace?"

"Mr Gardner" she leaned on his arm and stood up.

"Grace I… I am… I'm so sorry and you're destroyed in coffee. God"

"hey it's ok I'll just get a cab…"

"No, no this is my apartment building. Come up and we'll get you a lift." She smirked as he dumped his now empty coffee cup and picked up her bag and his briefcase. Offering his arm again he led her towards the door.

"What are you even doing over this side of town?" he quizzed her as they waited for the elevator.

"One of the girls from school lives around here." She shrugged, forgetting a brief second which leg she had "hurt" and hopping from one to the other. She mentally reprimanded herself _Concentrate Grace _she scolded.

"Can you put any weight on it?" he said mistaking her memory lapse as a jolt of pain.

"It's definitely better." She nodded. He helped her down the hall and unlocked the door still helping her in. She watched as he focused on helping her, paying huge attention to her every move.

"Right sit down there and I'll get some ice." He said looking at her unsurely. She tried to imagine what he was thinking, what were the chances he'd plough her over, that they'd bump into each other outside his building. She felt slightly guilty.

"thank you." The second he went to fridge she had a look around the room. It was a proper bachelors apartment, leather furniture all around the room, a telescope, sports memorabilia. It was clearly a place that rarely had kids in it. She was slightly disheartened to find no pictures anywhere.

"Here we go, do…" he faltered. "do you want to take your shoe off?"

"Oh ya sorry." He handed her a tea-towel with ice in it gingerly. She put it on her ankle and tried to decide what to say now.

"I'm sorry I think I'm a little in shock. What were the chances I'd run into you? I mean of all the people in Chicago."

"no I understand. It's very strange." She nodded. "my mother is always saying I shouldn't text and walk. Clearly she's right?" she watched as his face changed at the mention of her mother.

"she can't talk she always does it." He said after a few seconds of an awkward pause. Grace laughed lightly. "We should ring her. Or your dad…"

"Ya I should." She pulled her phone out of her pocket and frowned "It's not working." She said shocked. "It won't turn on." He leaned over and took it from.  
"That's because I soaked it in coffee. Its water damaged. I'm sorry Grace. it hasn't been a great few weeks I'm a bit all over the place." He frowned when he realised what he'd said. Standing back up he looked down at himself. I should go change out of these coffee soaked clothes. Here use my phone. Will you be ok a minute?" he help out his own mobile.

"Yes, thank you." She too it. "You have coffee in your hair too." She said wincing as she properly took in his appearance.

"Right. Shower it is then! Don't go anywhere until I get out ok!" he said shrugging off his now ruined suit jacket and throwing it on the back of the couch. He turned around and pointed at her "by the way you don't look to great yourself right now." He laughed and left her alone. She smiled at his back then turned to the phone. She took another deep breath and put the next phase of her plan into play. It had gone almost too well so far. But this bit could hurt her. She listened to the dial tone and waited.

"Hello Mr Gardner." She heard a curt voice say as the phone was answered.

"mom." She mumbled. "hi"

"Grace…" she could hear her mother pulling the phone away from her ear to check the id again. "What are you… why are you ringing from Will's phone?"

"I had a bit of a run in with Will, we walked into each other and I twisted my ankle. I'm at his apartment." She said quickly, hoping it would be like ripping off a Band-Aid. "He wouldn't let me get a cab."  
"Oh right… I… I'll be over to get you as soon as I can, I'm just meeting a client quickly. Will I try and get Zach."

"He's out with Neca today." She interrupted quickly.

"And your fathers in Springfield with Jackie. Wow you timed this nicely." Grace grinned. "Sit tight and I'll be there as soon as I can." She sighed. "Can I speak to Will?"

"He's all coffee so he's changing."

"Alright, get him to ring me. Please."

"I will."

"Are you ok Grace?"

"I'm good!"

"See you soon."

Grace hung up the phone and put it on the coffee table beside her icepack. She could hear he shower running and took the opportunity standing up quietly she moved to the mantelpiece hoping to poke around a bit. There was nothing of note there though, no personal items or photographs. Just books and baseballs. She was beginning to give up when she spotted a desk behind the couch with what looked like photo frames on it. She turned around the chair and knocked into something that went chattering against the ground. She picked up the guitar as quickly as she could praying he hadn't heard. The water was still running thought so she left her breath go. She took a second to look at the instrument and wondered how well he played. Resting it back against the chair she walked around it and over to the desk. It was covered in files and books that looked like they hadn't been touched in weeks. There was even a light layer of dust across it. Obviously he'd asked whoever cleans up the apartment not to touch it, so she didn't either. The first picture was of him with two women, they didn't look too alike but there was something that just told her they were his sisters, there was another picture of them at the other side of the desk looking a good bit younger, standing next to Will on his graduation day. Standard family pictures, although none of people that could be his parents. She saw a framed business card with his name on it, maybe his first as a named partner she guessed. The next one she noticed was of Will and Diane with an older, shorter man with almost flyaway hair. They were standing in front of the sign just inside their office, although in the picture it said Stern, Lockhart, and Gardner. Then she hit the jackpot. Half hidden behind that picture was a smaller one in a simple black frame. Will stood smirking with his arm around a woman in a baseball cap that was a little too big for her. As she leaned in she recognised the woman. Her mother. She was mirroring his expression into the camera, her own arm wrapped around his waist. Grace looked back at Will and gasped. His grey college t-shirt had a very familiar blue ink stain along the bottom. There was its reason for being in the box at home. It was Will's.

She hadn't heard the water going off, she just heard a voice.

"Grace?" she stood upright immediately, terrified she'd been caught snooping. "How are you doing?" he hadn't come back into the room yet.

"Good it's feeling much better, I think it was just a pull." She half limped back to the couch just as he came in.

"Did you ring someone?" he asked looking much better now that he was in a clean suit.

"I did, Mom is on the way. She has a quick client meeting then she'll be here." His face deadpanned he clearly didn't know what to say. "eh. Thanks for the phone" she said handing his back trying to diffuse the tension.

"No hassle." He nodded. "No hassle


	5. Chapter 5

She couldn't decide what you would call the atmosphere in the room. They were talking easily enough. He asked about school, Zach, if she'd thought about colleges. Typical small talk. She really noticed that he was working hard to avoid her mother coming into conversation. She'd told him to ring her back and he did hesitantly, breathing a sigh of relief when she didn't answer.

"eh, she must still be in that meeting." He said hanging up. "how… how are you all doing with the changes."

"It's…" she thought carefully about what to say. "it's busy at home. But Mom was always one to take on a challenge."

"Yes."

"I… I don't think I should be talking about this Mr Gardner." She shrugged.

"Will please. But yes I know. Probably not."  
"Zach is thinking of going to Georgetown." She said.  
"Oh excellent. Your parents must be thrilled" he smiled. "I loved it there. Best years of my life."

"Mom's been trying to tell him about it but it seems all she did was study!" he laughed.

"well she'd probably give out to me if she heard me saying this, but that was definitely not the case! Yes she studied hard, but she had just as much fun as the rest of us." At that very moment there was a knock on the door. He turned and looked at the closed door. "Speak of the devil." He strolled over to the door and opened it. It was blocking her view but she could clearly hear everything. There was a pause as he opened the door, she could almost visualise them looking at each other, silent.

"Alicia Hi."

"hello, how's Grace."

"She's in the living room." He said. Next she heard her mothers heels rounding the corner.

"Grace" she rushed to the couch.

"Mom I'm fine!"  
"Oh thank God because you look awful." She threw her a face and they both laughed.

"It's coffee."

"Yeah Will likes it black. That'll stain." She smiled as her mother shot the man a smile. "I mean I know we have our differences Gardner but attacking a teenager is a bit below you."

"I'm more worried there'll be pictures of me essentially carrying an underage girl into my apartment." He shrugged and sat on the armchair he'd just vacated.

"How's your ankle." She said as a poignant silence filled the air.

"Not too bad. It was very sore but I think I can walk now." Her mother raised her foot and examined it. Grace feigned a few gasps and "oows" continuing to play her part correctly.

"Ok it is just a sprain I think." Her mother nodded after a full inspection. "We should get you home." Grace was fuming she hadn't even looked at Will in the past ten minutes.

"Can I use the bathroom first please?"

"Oh of course!" Will stood up again. "You'll have to use my en-suite though I'm getting a new shower in the main one." She smiled _perfect._

"Thanks." She started limping towards his room, turning back to check her directions.

"It's the second on the right Gracie." Alicia said then her face froze. She'd said that without thinking. Grace spun quickly and kept walking into the room. She found the bathroom easily enough but didn't go in, staying next to the open door to see if they'd speak to one another. She glanced around the tidy room, it was very like the rest of the apartment. Dark colours and luxury furniture. His bed was made perfectly, there wasn't a thing out of place. There was no photos in here either. They whole place was so impersonal. She didn't know why but she felt instantly sad for Will, he'd obviously never had a proper family.

"I don't know how to react to all this." She heard will say.

"It is very strange." Her mother replied.

"I mean what were the chances." Then a silence settled.

"Will…." She leaned in towards the door. "…I am sorry. This was never, ever meant to be personal."

"Ok." Was his short reply. "But I can't help but take some hurt from it Alicia."

"Because I was poison I know."

"No, because I still haven't gotten my head around our last kiss." Grace's breath caught in her throat. They were barely whispering now she wondered had they moved closer to each other.

"That was weeks ago"

"I know." She could hear the difference in both their voices.

"My daughters here." That woke her up. She ran to the bathroom and flushed the toilet, then walked back out to the living room. Will was back over by the door now, opening it for them.

"Grace I'm sorry about all this. Hopefully we won't bump into each other again." He smiled.

"Me too. Thank you Mr Gardner."

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She sat in the car with her mother and waited for her to say something. Anything.

"do I need to take you to the hospital and get checked out?" she asked eventually.

"No mom, honestly it's fine I just turned funny on it."

"Grace I'm sorry about all the… stuff with Will and I." she looked down at her lap, she hated when her mother tried to talk to her about this kind of thing. She always made it so awkward.

"Mom it's ok." She twiddled her thumbs. "honestly."

"Ok then." She said giving up, as she tended to do with the harder things to talk about.

"Are you ok?"

"Oh… of course I am."

"It's just I know this whole work thing has been hard."

"What would I do without you Grace." her mother threw her a stunning smile and let the conversation die there.

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It was in her room later that night that she really let herself think about what her mother had said. What would she do without them. That was really a more weighted question then her mother had meant it to be. She knew without a doubt that if her and Zach hadn't been here when her mother found out about the hookers they'd be divorced by now. In fact, while it was an awful thought, if it weren't for Zach maybe her parents wouldn't have gotten married at all.


	6. Chapter 6

_Firstly I just wanted to thank you all so much for your response to my little story! You have no idea how much each and every one of your reviews and follows means to me! I used to be a fan fiction addict and well when bones started going exactly as I dreamed it would I kind of fell out it and was terrified I'd forgotten how to write! So thank you!_

_I don't know what it is about Grace Florrick, maybe it's the fact we share a first name, but from episode one I have found her fascinating and found myself wishing she was used a little more. She's such a flawed character and I love her. So I borrowed her! _

_Again thank you all so much! _

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She opened the lift door and walked into the new offices. She hadn't seen them since they'd finished the decorating, she really liked it. It was very easy to find her way around, much better than Lockhart Gardner. She found Cary's desk in seconds. She sat down in front of him and smiled.

"Hello." He said looking up at her smiling.

"How are you Cary?"

"Good thank you." He said sceptically.

"I was wondering would you get a coffee with me." His face changed completely and he reached up to straighten his tie.

"Oh Grace Look I'm flattered but..."

"No!" she held up a hand. "Just a coffee, don't want to talk here." She laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry it's definitely not that!"

"Oh thank god! Sorry" he laughed too. "Yeah I have a half an hour before I must be in court." He said looking at his watch. "Is everything ok?"

"Do you know a coffee place near the courthouse?" she said standing up and waiting for him to follow.

"Of course." He grabbed his phone and they walked to the lift.

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"So what's happening Ms Florrick." He sat back, cup in hand and looked at her expectantly.

"I want to know why you all left."

"Lockhart Gardner?"

"No our apartment." She said shaking her head.

"Ok ok!" she watched as he smirked at her. She'd obviously impressed him.

"Has your mother not told you?"

"Only what she thinks we should know." She shrugged. "But I want the full story"

"Do you now?"

"Cary I'm sixteen, nearly seventeen. I deserve to know what's going on in my life. I love my mother but she is so overprotective now after everything that's happened."

"Can't really blame her can you?" she liked how he was defending his partner. She was glad her mother had that.

"No, I don't most of the time. But I still want to know."

She sat at full attention as he started telling her the story. All about the near bankruptcy, the offer to make them all partners and the reveal that that was just for the money. He told her how they had almost decided to leave at that point when her mother had been offered partner. She wasn't surprised to learn the other fourth years weren't too pleased when that happened,

"They were claiming favouritism. They were too jealous to admit that she deserved it."  
He said, and she stored that fact for future reference.

He couldn't tell her what had caused her mother to decide to join them. Although she was surprised to learn her change of mind had come on the night of the election.

"It was only three weeks before we got found out and then we ended up in your home." He shrugged finishing the story.

"Do you know how they found out?"

"A client we were trying to move let it slip to Diane I think. She told Will, and Will…" he trailed off there.

"Turned on her." Grace said quietly. Cary looked at her surprised.

"Yes he kicked her out of the building and got to everyone else that was leaving and took all laptops and phones off them. It all happened very quickly." He drained the end of his coffee. "What's this really about?"

"Mom. She's been very off lately and I want to know exactly why."

"We'll setting up your own business is very stressful."

"No it's more than that. She was so happy when she made partner. Then this huge thing out of nowhere."

"I don't think it's out of nowhere." Time for the kill shot.

"Was it because of Will?" she stunned him. He was physically speechless.

"Was it because…" he repeated slowly.

"Of Will. I'm a teenage girl, I'm not oblivious I know what happened. I know they had an affair. But I want to know if mom left Lockhart Gardner because they broke up"

"Look kid I like you, but this really isn't my place to say."

"So you do know" she smiled. He sighed

"And there was I thinking Zach was the crafty one." She just stared him down.

"They broke up months ago. Not that I'm meant to know. It was the worst kept secret of the time." He said caving. "They had broken up and were getting on fine. But I think they never really put it behind them. I convinced her that if she left she'd finally get out from under him. People would finally stop thinking she was only getting on because she… she slept with her boss."

"So they never fell out until she left."

"No they were always very close. Always." He stood up. "Right I think I've got myself into enough trouble for today, I have to get to court. I would appreciate if no one else ever heard about this conversation." He straightened his tie again.

"Thank you Cary."

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"Gracie" her uncle beamed at her.

"Hey Owen." She said as he sat down across from her.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" he asked dropping his bag beside his chair.

"I needed to talk to you."

"Well I like the new office." He shrugged.

"You love my mother don't you." She said quietly. His smile softened.

"More than anything."

"I heard you two talking about Will."

"Oh I'm sorry Grace. I know it can't be nice to hear about that…." He started

"No, no it's fine! I'm ok with that. I've heard more over the years and I've always known."

"Oh" he pulled a face. "But your father?"

"Made mistakes that we can't fix." She shrugged. She watched as his expression changed again. She thought she saw appreciation in his face now.

"When did my little niece turn into a grown up." She smiled tears coming to both their eyes. "Your mother is stubborn, she won't divorce your father. I'm sorry Grace neither you nor I can change that. "

"But she's in love with Will." It was her first time saying it out loud.

"We don't know that for sure. Adult relationships are complicated." she frowned at him. "This is something only your mother can control and if it happens it happens."

She was crushed. Her uncle Owen had been her big guns. She was sure he would swoop in and help her.

"I went to meet Will." This caught her attention again. "I went to see him at Lockhart Gardner after that conversation you over heard. I told him why your mother left." Maybe he was more on her side than she'd guessed.

"And."

"He didn't do anything about it did he." Owen shrugged. "I thought I'd gotten through to him but he didn't do anything. This just something they'll have to work out together before it's too late."

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It had been days now and her spirit was sufficiently diminished. Her uncle had struck a bone when he told her about Will. She'd thought it would be easy to bring them back together. However Owen had been upfront and honest and it had had no effect. She was curled up in her P.J.s on the couch when the doorbell went. Her mother was in the shower so she shouted out to Zach.

"Zach door!" she got no reply. "ZACH!" still nothing, whoever it was knocked again. She huffed and getting up swung it open. The person standing here stunned her slightly. "Mr Gardner. Hi!"

"Grace it's Will I told you." He smiled she just stared at him for a second.

"I'm sorry do you want to come in?" she stood aside. "Are you looking for mom? She's just in the shower."

"Actually I came for you." He said stepping into the apartment.

"Me?"

"I brought you something." He held up a blue bag. She was truly puzzled.

"For me?"

"Well I owe you this!" he shrugged. She noticed how uncomfortable he looked in the apartment.

"What?"

"Just open it!" he laughed handing her the bag. She sat up at the island in the kitchen and opened it up.

"A new phone! Will there was no need."

"No, no I destroyed your phone I had to replace it." He shook his head. "It'll teach me to put a lid on my coffee."

"Thank you very much." She smiled. "Really."

At that moment she heard her mother's bedroom door open.

"Grace was there someone at the door?" she said walking into the kitchen, hair wet with her pyjamas on.

"Alicia Hi."

"What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to drop off a phone for Grace. I destroyed her last one." He gestured to the phone.

"You could have given it to me at court earlier." She said clearly suspicious.

"I hadn't picked it up." He shrugged.

"That's very kind of you thank you." She finally smiled walking over beside her daughter and stroking her hair. Grace seized the moment before either of them could make excuses.

"Will I cooked will you stay for some dinner?" she smiled widely at him. Hoping he wouldn't be able to refuse. He couldn't.

"Oh well that's a lovely offer but…" he looked at her mother.

"You should stay. We called a truce today didn't we." Her smile had widened.

"When you admitted I'm the better lawyer? Yes we did." He grinned then looked back at Grace. "I would love to stay for dinner."

She beamed and hopped off the stool pulling out another plate and cutlery.


	7. Chapter 7

She couldn't have planned it better herself. The evening was lovely. Zach had been rather put out at first when he'd come out for dinner, but he'd relaxed after a while, as did her mother and Will. Even she felt slightly awkward at the beginning, but once dinner was over the conversation was flowing. Zach asked Will about Georgetown. Alicia asked Grace about her exams, it was oddly natural and easy. She would even go so far as to say it was natural amongst them. It was the closest she'd felt to a family dynamic in a long time. Her mom had even been smiling when she said goodnight to her that night.

She decided to have a lazy day the following morning, slippers slipping on the floor and she started her breakfast.

"I wish I had a midterm too." Her mother said rushing into the kitchen.

"I thought you had the day off?" she watched as she brushed her hair out.

"From work I do. But I have that luncheon thing for with your dad. I must introduce him or something." She smiled. Grace handed her the earrings on the counter.

"That's not til later though is it? Maybe we could make pancakes." She smiled. Her mother stopped fixing herself and mirrored her reaction. She took a quick look at her watch.

"EIi's not collecting me for an hour we could do that." She put down her brush and opened the fridge door. "banana or chocolate?" she asked.

"How about bo…" Grace started only to be interrupted by a loud banging on the door. The two of them jumped as the bang came again. Zach burst out of his room on the third bang. The two women still frozen in the kitchen.

"Who is that?" he asked. Alicia walked around the island in front of her daughter.

"I don't know, go to your rooms a minute." Grace moved towards her door but didn't go in. she needed to know what was happening.

"Who do you think that could be?" Zach whispered as they watched their mother go towards the door.

"A client?" she shrugged, they moved closer together.

"God I hope not."

She opened the door and they leaned forward.

"What the hell is going on!" their father roared busting in the door, the two kids moved back against the wall.

"Peter what are you doin..." he stormed past her into the kitchen and Zach grabbed Grace's arm pulling her into his room leaving the door open a crack.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOiNG!" he bellowed even louder.

Grace reeled back into her brothers room and curled up against his window. He was standing by the door staring out.

"Peter please you're scaring me" she heard her mother pleading.

"I know he was here last night! With my family!" they heard something crash on the floor. "You had HIM here with my family!" Grace wrapped her arms around her head and tried to curl up in a ball. She was shaking and she couldn't catch her breath. They'd heard their parents fighting before but never like this. She jumped as a glass shattered against the wall beside the bedroom door. Zach was over to his sister in a flash and wrapped his arms around her.

"What do we do?" she whispered burying her face in his arm.

"I… I don't know."

"YOU SLUT!" the words shot through the room. The shouting and fighting went on and on, and even though she tried to block it out every work was getting to Grace more and more. Suddenly she knew what to do. She pulled out her phone and scrolled down through her contacts as quickly as she could.

"Its Grace…" she hissed down the phone.

"Grace? I'm in court what's up?" he said quickly

"….Will we need you."

"What? I'm in a really important case today…" he started to interrupt

"My dad's here and I'm really scared, I'm afraid he'll hurt mom." She dropped the phone in fright as what sounded like pots clattered against the floor. She fumbled trying to pick it up again "Please!"

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She had no idea how much time had passed when the shouting stopped. The final words they'd heard was their mother

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" then they'd heard the door slam. She hadn't moved they'd stayed exactly where they were. After what felt like the longest time the door swung open and their mother came in.

"Mom." Zach stood up and immediately hugged his mother.

"Oh I am so sorry! You didn't need to hear all of that." She said hugging him tightly to her.

"Mom are you ok." Grace said sanding up and rushing to join them.

"I'm so sorry!" she repeated starting to cry.

"Oh no mom stop we're ok. We're ok." Grace hugged her tighter as she sunk to the floor taking the two of them with her. They just sat with her as she sobbed, neither of them knowing what to say. They'd faced a lot over the last few years but nothing like this.

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Grace picked up the throw cushions as Zach brushed the kitchen. Alicia gathered the pots and stowed them away.

"Breaking News." Grace looked up at the television. They'd only put I ton to fill the silence that had taken over the apartment. She frowned as a picture of the courthouse came up.

"Mooom…" she said slowly turning up the television.

"I'm here at Cook County Courthouse where shots have been fired." The reported said in a voice over, it was a video of the courthouse. She slumped down onto the couch.

"What's going on." Zach came into the room followed by his mother.

"Just five minutes ago there was numerous shots fired inside the courthouse. Sources say they all came from one of the courtrooms and that there is only one shooter. There has not been any official report from inside the building. It is thought that security are still securing the area an…" she paused as the video showed more squad cars show up outside the building. "…I have just gotten word that is there is three people injured inside the building." Her voice sounded much more serious. Grace turned away from the television to look at her mother.

"My god." She whispered holding her hand up to her mouth. Grace felt the blood drain from her face as she turned back.

"Dad?" Zach whispered.

"He's at the luncheon." Grace replied.

They looped the footage again but this time it was silent. The three of them watched and waited for more news.

The footage finally zoomed in on the door of the court house, now showing the cops rushing into the building along with paramedics.

"Yes we now have official confirmation there is one fatality inside the building and two more injured." The same voice came over the footage. "There was one gunman, a young man on trial for murder. We'll let you know when we get more news. This is breaking news from Cook County Courthouse where a shooting has occurred." She repeated

Her mother's breathless voice cut through the room

"That…. That's Will's case."


	8. Chapter 8

They were sat in silence glued to the television. No one had spoken since her mother's disclosure.

None of them even heard the door opening.

"Alicia!" someone called out, and the three of them jumped. "Alicia the doors open…" Alicia ran out of the living room, her two children following, she almost tackled Will to the ground.  
"Oh thank God." She clasped her arms around him. "Thank God."  
"What happened." He said pulling back. "Did he hurt you?" he looked her up and down. "Zach, Grace are you alright."

"Hurt me?" Alicia was bewildered. "Will we thought you were dead!"

"Me dead…" now it was his turn to be perplexed. "What? I got Grace's call and came straight over. What could have happened me?"

"Grace's… Will there was a shooting at the court house!" she gestured to the television where the footage was still being shown.

"a shooting…" He dropped his bags and moved towards the television.

"… ambulances have just left the scene. There are three injured parties but contrary to earlier reports there has been no casualties." They listened to the reporter.

Will took out his phone and dialled.

"Diane. Where are you?" he said immediately. "Oh thank god. The television…yes, yes… do you know who?... right. I'll be in soon. Ok… bye." He hung up and turned around "you thought I was dead. I am so sorry." He strode across the room and wrapped Alicia in a hug of his own. He kissed the top of her head and stroked her back. "I am so sorry."

"What happened?" Zach asked.

"Well I got Grace's call and I told the judge I needed a brief recess for an emergency and he granted it." He shrugged letting go of Alicia. "I left as quickly as possible and drove over her. I just got stuck in traffic. Diane said when they were taking my client back to holding he grabbed the bailiffs gun and opened fire. He hit the bailiff and one of the expert witnesses and then Finn the DA on the case tried to get the gun off him and he was hit in the shoulder. Everyone should be ok though. She's just giving the police her statement." He finally looked around the apartment. "My god it's a mess here. What did he do?"

"I'm gonna finish tidying the living room Zach said slinking out of the room.

"Ya I should help." Grace said going to follow her brother.

"No wait Grace." her mother held up a hand. "You rang Will?"

"I…" she panicked. "Yes I did."

"Why?"

"I… I was…"

"She was scared Alicia. She just wanted to protect you." Will stepped forward and took her arm

"Grace go on into the living room. I'll be in in a minute." Alicia said softly looking at the hand now on her arm. She walked into the couch to find her brother curled up.

"Zach?" she said softly, sitting next to him.

"I can't believe dad did that." He said not looking up at her. "he…"

"You told him about Will didn't you." She said after a few seconds.

"I just mentioned what we'd done for the evening. I didn't mean it maliciously. I didn't think that would happen." He shrugged.

"you have to tell mom."

"I didn't want him to do that. She can never take him back now."

"I thought you didn't want them to get back together."

"Oh come on. I always hoped they'd get back together. Didn't you?"

"No." she shook her head.

"Well it'll never happen after today. He's completely lost it"

"Well that's his problem now. We'll be ok." She wrapped an arm around him and they just sat in silence.

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She walked to the kitchen dragging her feet a little. It was still the middle of the evening but she was dog tired.

"I have never been so scared." He heard her mother say gently. "It was terrifying." She hadn't stopped and thought about how shaken her mother must be after her father's rampage. She didn't even know fully what had happened yet.

"I can't even imagine." Came Will's response.

"What would I do if you were dead huh?" Grace's head shot up at the comment. It really wasn't what she'd thought. "I don't care if we're fighting never ever die on me."

Grace rounded the corner just in time to see her mother lean up and kiss her best friend.


	9. Chapter 9

Divorces are hard. There's no two ways about it. Grace and Zach had become experts at press faces. Putting them on as they went out the door and taking them off once they got to safety. It was weeks of the press hounding them, at home at school, at their mom's new offices. There was no escape. Except at Wills. They went there twice a week for dinner now just to take a break from it all. Will couldn't cook and his apartment was kinda boring until he got a games station and some board games. But mostly it was lovely, just sitting and chatting, not worrying about wither or not there was people watching, or that they'd say the thing wrong.

"Will my lasagne just crunched…" Grace said putting her fork down. Alicia laughed and looked into her own plate.  
"I know. I think I left some plastic in." he grimaced. Zach leaned over

"Mom put a frozen pizza in the oven." He muttered out of the side of his mouth.

"oh I am hurt." Will dropped his own fork and glared at Alicia.

"What I'm sorry but we were so hungry the last time you made pasta! I wanted a backup." She smiled and took his hand.

"You are unbelievable" she grinned and turned back to her food.

"How is everything at work." She said and he just smiled.

"Good. I met Finn in court today. He's back to work a few weeks now."

"I can't believe it's been three months. How's he doing?" they'd all learned quickly enough how friendly Will and the injured DA were.

"Good. He said physical therapy is helping a lot. But I think he had something going on a work." He frowned.

"oh."

"Yeah I'm going to meet him for coffee tomorrow afternoon and see what's up." He winced as her teeth caught something in the lasagne and he put down his own fork. "How are the exams Zach?"

"Good. Only two left." He smiled. "They're the two hardest ones though."

"I'm sure you'll fly it." Alicia said smiling at him. "And Grace you're finished tomorrow?"

"Yes. Can't wait."

The rest of dinner passed quickly with the pizza going down well. They were packing up to go home when Zach turned to Will.

"Oh Will I just wanted to ask." The teen started shuffling his feet. "There's an open day in Georgetown next weekend and I was wondering if you'd go with me?"

Alicia was clearly stunned as she stopped putting on her jacket. Grace grinned at her brother, silently so proud of him.

"Oh yes that'd be great I'd love to." Will nodded furiously. "Thanks."

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Zach's graduation was the first true test of their new situation. She saw her mother and father come face to face for the first time since the divorce was finalised. She observed as they hugged politely and smiled at each other. She smiled as Peter shook Will hand and the three adults spoke for a few moments before she joined them. Hugging her father she stood beside him until her family moved to sit down.

It had been a month since Will and Alicia had sat her Zach down and told them officially that they were going to be a couple. They'd obviously taken it better than her mother had expected, she'd gotten herself into that awkward talking in circles thing until Will had taken her hand and smiled. Grace had come to accept that her mother was always going to see them as her little children, but now that she knew exactly what was going on in the world around her, she found she could accept it much more easily. Just this week Will had moved into their apartment, putting his own up for sale. Grace was surprised at how little leather furniture had been brought along in the move, but was thrilled to see a few pictures joining their own in the living room. Especially a black and white one in a large silver frame that Will had admitted had been in his desk drawer for quite some time.

Everything in Grace's life had changed in the last few years. Her mother and father now lived completely separate lives. She had two bedrooms and was perfectly content splitting her time between two homes. Her father had settled down, putting all his energy into work. Once Eli had heard about her father's outburst he had done everything in his power to help her mother, making things a lot smoother for all of them. It had taken a lot to get her but as she sat in between her father and the man she guessed would soon be her stepfather she was perfectly content with life. She cheered as her brother walked up on stage, and she celebrated with her entire family that night.

She'd asked her mother once why she was staying with her father. Now the words she'd said meant a lot more.

"The heart has its reasons which reason knows not."

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THE END


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